The thing about the latest drama surrounding Andrew, the fact that he was allowed to put out a statement saying he was giving up his titles and honors,
and then just a few days later the King had to announce he was also taking the Prince honorific away, is that it could have been handled so much differently.
A lot of the responsibility for where they are right now and the publicity crisis happening at this very moment falls on the royal family.
They all turned a blind eye to the scandals Andrew was involved in, over and over.
Now, it seems like the way it was all handled didn’t sit well with King Charles’ other two siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward. But it’s not because they feel he should have been harsher, no. Instead, it’s because they’re worried about Andrew. The Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential last week quoted royal expert Richard Kay as saying, “I think they’ve [Anne and Edward] been concerned about their brother’s wellbeing and how he’s handling this intense pressure.”
“His reputation is in the gutter. I think both Anne and Edward have been concerned about how the King handles the whole situation and story. I think they feel there’s a duty of care towards Prince Andrew.” Ironically, King Charles himself only acted regarding Andrew when the scandal seemed like it could threaten the institution, and not before.
Last month, the siblings were seen chatting as they attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent, a moment that made headlines more for what appeared to be a more cautious interaction between Andrew and William.
Another insider recently claimed to Woman’s Day magazine (via The Daily Mail) that members of the royal family were “disappointed” at how the king handled Andrew’s living arrangements, specifically. “Charles does look at the current state of his family with deep concern. Everyone, it seems, has issues, whether it be health, financial, legal,” a source said. “This situation with Andrew and the Royal Lodge has somewhat divided the family… with Anne, Sophie, and Edward all disappointed in how he’s handled it.”
It seems they were all pretty disappointed, not that it had taken this long for Andrew to face consequences for his actions, but the other way around. Which is probably not the image the royal family wants to portray right about now.
Sources had previously told the outlet that the decision was made by King Charles and his advisers, without any pressure from the government or other family members. “The process has been under way for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,” an insider claimed.
Recently, the king was heckled about his brother as he greeted well-wishers outside Lichfield Cathedral. “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” a man said in footage shared on social media. “Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew, Charles? What do you think — should the MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?”
The King just ignored the comments and walked away. Which is pretty much what the rest of the royal family is doing at this point.